VICTORVILLE — A former aide to Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks on Monday pleaded not guilty to attempted robbery charges in connection with an incident two months ago inside a Hesperia smoke shop, court records show.

Kearia Brown, 25, had worked for Parks for eight years — most recently as an aide for special event invitations — when on April 11 she was allegedly involved in the attempted armed robbery of the Best Price Smoke Shop, along with her husband and another man.

Parks’ chief of staff, Bernard C. Parks Jr. told the Daily Press on Monday that Brown was no longer an aide for the councilman.

Brown began working for the councilman part-time in 2006 and became full-time in 2010, according to Parks Jr.

“We put her on home assignment right after the incident,” he said. “And that lasted a day.”

Two masked men — one armed with a handgun — had entered the smoke shop in the 17200 block of Main Street and roughed up at least one employee before fleeing in a green get-away van, sparking an hours-long neighborhood manhunt for the suspects.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials said Brown’s husband, Jermaine Brown, 32, and a third suspect, Sterling Ghoston, 25, were located and apprehended later that day after they abandoned their vehicle. The gun was also recovered, according to authorities.

Kearia Brown, also known as Kearia Deluna, was arrested that night inside a home in the 14000 block of Allendale Circle in Adelanto after authorities served a search warrant there and said they found evidence linking her to the crime.

The trio were arrested on suspicion of armed robbery and ultimately charged with three counts of attempted robbery.

According to criminal filings, Jermaine Brown allegedly wielded the gun while Kearia Brown and Ghoston, though “not personally armed, knew that a principal was personally armed with a firearm.”

The charge is considered a violent felony and stipulates eligibility for state prison. Jermaine Brown and Ghoston have served prior prison terms and Kearia Brown “has a prior serious or violent felony conviction,” according to the complaint filed by the county District Attorney’s office. But details of her conviction weren’t immediately available and it doesn’t appear to have occurred in San Bernardino County.

Jermaine Brown and Ghoston also face an additional charge of kidnapping. Brown is charged too with assault with a firearm on a person and Ghoston faces a false imprisonment charge. Both men previously pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Susan Rose said the kidnapping charge stemmed from the suspects holding “the victim and members of his family against their will during the commission of the robbery.”

An employee suffered minor injuries during the incident and was transported to a local hospital, officials said.

Jermaine Brown and Ghoston on Monday were being held at the High Desert Detention Center — Brown in lieu of $1 million bail and Ghoston was being held without bail due to a parole violation.

Kearia Brown was not immediately shown to be in custody Monday, according to jail records.

A procedural hearing for the three suspects is scheduled for June 24.

Shea Johnson may be reached at 760-955-5368 or SJohnson@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DP_Shea.